Thursday, November 26, 2009

The Akathist of Thanksgiving By Metropolitan Tryphon of TurkestanFound in effects of Hieromartyr Grigori Petroff (+1942)

Kontakion 1 O King of ages, Who, by the power of Thy salvific providence, holdeth in Thy right hand all the ways of man’s life: I thank Thee for all Thy visible and secret goods, for earthly life and for the heavenly joy of Thy future Kingdom. Pour forth richly Thy grace, in the future as well, on us who sing to Thee: Glory to Thee, O God, in ages!

Ikos 1 I was born on earth as a feeble and helpless child, but Thy angel, spreading his shiny wings, has sheltered my cradle. From that moment Thy love shines in all my ways and miraculously guides me into the light of eternity. For that my soul lauds Thee and hails Thee with all who know Thee:

Glory to Thee Who hast called me into life.

Glory to Thee Who art revealing to us the beauty of the universe.

Glory to Thee Who art opening to us heaven and earth as an eternal book of wisdom.

Glory to Thy eternity in the passing world.

Glory to Thee for Thy covert and overt mercies.

Glory to Thee for every sigh of my heart.

Glory to Thee for every step of life, / every moment of joy.

Glory to Thee, O God, in ages!

Kontakion 2 O Lord, how good it is for us to be Thy guests! How fine it is for us in Thy world. The fields are fragrant, the mountains rise high up into the sky, and the golden rays of sun and the light clouds are reflected in the water. All nature mysteriously speaks about Thee, all is filled with Thy mercy and all carries the seal of Thy love. Blessed be the earth which, with her short-lasting beauty, awakens the yearning for the eternal homeland in Thy kingdom, where in everlasting beauty resounds the song: Alleluia!

Ikos 2 Thou broughtest me into this life as if into a wonderful garden. I see the sky deep and blue, the birds as they chirp in flight; I listen to the soothing rustle of trees and the sonorous sound of waters; my mouth is enjoying fragrant and succulent fruits. How wonderful it is in Thy world and how joyous it is to be Thy guest!

Glory to Thee for the feast of life!

Glory to Thee for the scents of lilies of the valley and roses.

Glory to Thee for the abundance and multiplicity of earthly fruits.

Glory to Thee for the glistening of morning dew.

Glory to Thee for the joyous smile of dawn / with which Thou dost waken me.

Glory to Thee for eternal life / and the kingdom of heaven.

Glory to Thee, O God, in ages!

Kontakion 3 By the power of the Holy Spirit every flower breathes. Thy breath I feel in the quiet movement of the fragrant fields. Observing the harmony of colors I admire Thee. Wherever I look, I see all around me the beauty of the Great One in the little.Glory and thanks to the life-creating God Who covers the earth with flowery meadows, crowns the fields with golden ears of grain and embellishes them with blue cornflowers, and my soul with the joy of contemplation. Be glad and sing to Him: Alleluia!

Ikos 3 How wonderful Thou art in the beauty of spring when all earth is being rejuvenated and thousands of sounds sing about Thee: Thou art the spring of life, Thou art the conqueror of death! In the pale moonlight with the song of the nightingale, the valleys and forests rest under a snowy white veil. The whole earth, Thy bride, is awaiting Thee, the Eternal Bridegroom. When Thou so clothest the grass of the field, how art Thou to adorn Thy chosen ones when they resurrect in the future age! How will then our bodies shine forth and our souls glitter!

Glory to Thee Who from the dark depths of the earth / bringeth forth so many colors and scents.

Glory to Thee for the beauty of nature.

Glory to Thee Who hast surrounded us / with thousands of Thy creatures.

Glory to Thee for the depth of thy wisdom / whose seal is borne by all creation.

Glory to Thee for the tender feeling / with which I kiss the trace of Thine invisible foot.

Glory to Thee Who hast from the beginning / lit the glowing light of eternal life.

Glory to Thee for the hope in perfect and eternal beauty.

Glory to Thee, O God, in ages!

Kontakion 4 How Thou delightest the hearts of those who meditate upon Thee, O God! Thou feedest their souls with Thy Holy Word. Talking with Thee is better than oil and sweeter than honey. Prayer to God refreshes and invigorates; it fills my heart with joy. How majestic then appears this world and all life. Where Thou art not – all is empty. Where Thou art – there is the richness of the soul.There, as living water, is the everlasting song: Alleluia

Ikos 4 When night falls upon the earth, the stillness of sleep reigns and sounds of the past day become silent; I see the splendor of Thy heavenly mansions. Flame and purple, gold and azure presage the indescribable beauty of Thy home and solemnly call forth: Let us go to the Father!

Glory to Thee in the quiet hours of the evening.

Glory to Thee for pouring forth deep peace on earth.

Glory to Thee for the rays of the setting sun.

Glory to Thee for the rest of a graceful sleep.

Glory to Thee for consolation in the darkness / when the whole world appears far from me.

Glory to Thee for the warm prayer of my tortured soul.

Glory to Thee for the promise that we shall awake in the joy of Thy everlasting day.

Glory to Thee, O God, in ages!

Kontakion 5 The tempest of life does not frighten one in whose heart shines the light of Thy divine Fire. Around me are whirling storms and roaring winds; terror and darkness surround me; but in my soul is peace and light. Christ is in her. And my heart sings: Alleluia!

Ikos 5 I look into Thy sky filled with stars. O how rich Thou art! How much light there is in Thee! Through the light of the distant stars Thou lookest at me from eternity. I am tiny and destitute, but the Lord is with me. His hand is always near me and He leads me with love in all my ways.

Glory to Thee Who continually watcheth over us.

Glory to Thee Who considereth mine every meeting with people.

Glory to Thee for the love of relatives / and the fidelity of friends.

Glory to Thee for the meekness / of the domestic animals who serve me.

Glory to Thee for the bright moments of life.

Glory to Thee for the happiness of living, seeing and feeling.

Glory to Thee, O God, in ages.

Kontakion 6 How great Thou art in the whirlwind and the storm! How majestic is Thy hand in the swiftness of the lightning! The voice of the Lord rises above the fields. It rustles through the woods, it roars in the thunder. The voice of the Lord resounds over the waters. Thy might is proclaimed by the fire of the volcano. Thou quakest the earth and liftest the waves of the sea into the sky. Glory to Thee to whom we repentantly cry: Alleluia!

Glory to Thee Who hast planted into man’s heart / an unquenchable thirst for God.

Glory to Thee because nothing earthly / can completely satisfy us.

Glory to Thee Who clothest us in light.

Glory to Thee, the conqueror of the spirits of evil and darkness.

Glory to Thee for Thy revelation, / for the blessedness of feeling Thee and living Thee.

Glory to Thee, O God, in ages!

Kontakion 7 In the harmony of sounds I hear Thy call. In the lofty beauty of music, in the magnificence of artistic works Thou art allowing us to foresee Paradise. Whatever is truly beautiful soars toward Thee and teaches the soul to sing to Thee a victorious song: Alleluia!

Ikos 7 By Thy Holy Spirit Thou inspirest the thought of the artist, the poet and the scientist. By the power of Thy wisdom they prophetically enter into the mysteries of Thy laws and reveal the depth of Thy wisdom. Even their works involuntarily speak about Thee. O how wonderful Thou art in Thy works! O how great Thou art in man!

Glory to Thee Who showest us / Thy might through the laws of the cosmos.

Glory to Thou Who fillest everything.

Glory to Thee Who revealest to us according to Thy mercy.

Glory to Thee Who hidest from us according to Thy wisdom.

Glory to Thee for the depth of the human mind.

Glory to Thee for the creative ability in man.

Glory to Thee for the outpouring of Thy grace.

Glory to Thee, O God, in ages!

Kontakion 8 How close to us Thou art in our days of illness. Thou visitest the patient, Thou descendest to the bed of the sufferer and his heart communeth with Thee. Thou kindlest the soul with peace at the time of sorrow and suffering. Thou sendest unexpected help. Thou art the comforter. Thou art all-knowing love. To Thee I sing: Alleluia!

Ikos 8 When I as a child for the first time appealed to Thee, Thou fulfilled my prayer and lightened my soul with great peace. I understood then that Thou art good and that they are blessed who seek refuge in Thee. Therefore I do not cease to pray to Thee and to call upon Thee.

Glory to Thee Who fulfillest and to good purpose completes my wishes.

Glory to Thee Who watchest over me day and night.

Glory to Thee for the time that is passing / and taking away our sorrows and sadness.

Glory to Thee in whom nothing is lost, / for Thou grantest to all life eternal.

Glory to Thee Who promised us / desired meetings with our deceased ones.

Glory to Thee, O God, in ages!

Kontakion 9 Why is all nature so mysteriously smiling in the days of the feasts? Why then is our soul so light and joyous? Why does the air in the temple seem so bright? It is all because of the flow of Thy grace, because of the reflection of the light of Tabor. Heaven and earth are then singing together a laudable song: Alleluia!

Ikos 9 When Thou inspirest me to serve my neighbors and enlightenest my soul with humbleness, then the rays of Thy light fall on my heart and it begins to radiate and shine. As the sun in the waters, so in those moments in my soul is reflected Thy infinite meekness, full of love and the unspeakable peace of Thy radiant countenance.

Glory to Thee Who through good deeds transformeth our lives.

Glory to Thee Who hast sealed with unspeakable sweetness / every commandment of Thine.

Glory to Thee Who art invisibly present in the works of mercy.

Glory to Thee Who sendest upon us troubles and sorrows / in order to teach us to commiserate in the suffering of others.

Glory to Thee for the love / which Thou hast raised above everything on earth and in heaven.

Glory to Thee, O God, in ages!

Kontakion 10 Whatever is destroyed cannot be restored. But Thou revivest those whose conscience is dead and returnest pristine beauty to the souls who lost it. Through Thy mercifulness all is possible. Thou art Love, Thou art the Creator and Restorer. Thee I praise with song: Alleluia!

Ikos 10 O my God, Thou who knowest that the angel of pride, the Morning Star, hast fallen from Thee, do not let me doubt nor depart from Thee. Sharpen my hearing so that I will always listen to Thy mysterious voice and call upon Thee, Who art everywhere present.

Glory to Thee Who all-wisely governest my life.

Glory to Thee for inspired premonition.

Glory to Thee for warnings in a mysterious voice.

Glory to Thee for revelations in dreams and in reality.

Glory to Thee for thwarting my useless intentions.

Glory to Thee because through sufferings Thou liberatest me from passions.

Kontakion 11 Through all the passed chain of ages I feel the warmth of Thy Holy Spirit and the surging of Divine Life. Thou art near, Time is nonexistent. I see Thy Cross – it is for my sake. My spirit is humbled into dust before Thy love, limitless and incomprehensible. Wherefore, beneath Thy Cross I will unto ages glorify Thee, my Savior, with song: Alleluia!

Ikos 11 Blessed art those who sup with Thee in Thy kingdom. However, blessed art those whom Thou hast already here on earth accepted as partakers of Thy Mystic Supper. How many times, with Thy divine hand, Thou hast allowed me, a sinner, to receive in Holy Communion Thy Body and Blood. And I have received the Holy and felt Thy love, ineffable and wonderful.

Glory to Thee for the incomprehensible and life creating power of grace.

Glory to Thee Who hast founded Thy Church to be for us a quiet harbor.

Glory to Thee Who givest us rebirth through the life-giving water of baptism.

Glory to Thee Who forgivest a sinner who repents / and restorest in him the viceless purity of lilies.

Glory to Thee for a perpetual spring of forgiveness.

Glory to Thee for bread from heaven and the cup of life.

Glory to Thee Who art guiding us into the kingdom of eternal joy.

Glory to Thee, O God, in ages!

Kontakion 12 Many a time I saw the reflection of Thy glory on the faces of the deceased! With what unearthly beauty and joy their faces shine! How transparent and immaterial become their features! With their silence they sing of Thee. When the time of my death cometh, enlighten, O God, my soul as well, to sing to Thee: Alleluia!

Ikos 12 What is my praise before Thee! My ears did not hear the song of cherubims; it is heard only by the souls of the righteous. I know only how nature lauds Thee. I saw in winter, how, lightened by the moonlight and beneath the cover of snow which sparkles with silvery light, all the earth is quietly praying to Thee. I saw how the crimson rays of the rising sun rejoice in Thee and how choirs of birds hum praises to Thee. I listen how mysteriously forests speak of Thee, how winds wing, and brooks murmur Thy name; how, with their fixed movements through limitless space, the myriads of stars preach about Thee. What is my praise before Thee, O Lord! Nature is obedient, and I never cease to sadden Thee. While I live and see Thy love I want to glorify Thee, to pray to Thee and to call upon Thee:

Glory to Thee Who hast shown us the light.

Glory to Thee Who hast loved us with deep, immeasurable, divine love.

Glory to Thee Who protects us / with bright armies of angels and saints.

Glory to Thee, all-holy Father, who art giving us Thy kingdom.

Glory to Thee, O Holy Spirit, the life-giving sun of future ages.

Glory to Thee for all, / Holy Trinity, divine and all good.

Glory to Thee, O God, in ages.

Kontakion 13 O all-good and life-giving Trinity, receive our gratefulness for all thy goods and show us worthy of Thine eternal treasures, so that we may multiply the talent entrusted to us, reach Thy kingdom and enter into the joy of our Lord, singing to Him victorious song: Alleluia!(thrice)

And again the first Ikos and Kontakion are read: Ikos 1 I was born on earth as a feeble and helpless child, but Thy angel, spreading his shiny wings, has sheltered my cradle. From that moment Thy love shines in all my ways and miraculously guides me into the light of eternity. For that my soul lauds Thee and hails Thee with all who know Thee:

Glory to Thee Who hast called me into life.

Glory to Thee Who art revealing to us the beauty of the universe.

Glory to Thee Who art opening to us heaven and earth as an eternal book of wisdom.

Glory to Thy eternity in the passing world.

Glory to Thee for Thy covert and overt mercies.

Glory to Thee for every sigh of my heart.

Glory to Thee for every step of life, / every moment of joy.

Glory to Thee, O God, in ages!

Kontakion 1 O King of ages, Who, by the power of Thy salvific providence, holdeth in Thy right hand all the ways of man’s life: I thank Thee for all Thy visible and secret goods, for earthly life and for the heavenly joy of Thy future Kingdom. Pour forth richly Thy grace, in the future as well, on us who sing to Thee:Glory to Thee, O God, in ages!

Friday, November 6, 2009

I Don’t Know About ThatA hermit advised, “If someone speaks to you about a controversy, do not argue with him. If what he says makes sense, say, ‘Yes,’ If his comments are misguided, say, ‘I don’t know anything about that.’ If you refuse to dispute with his ideas, your mind will be at peace.”

There is an element of this story which makes many want to cry out, “Yes, but!” It is a story similar to Christ’s admonition to “turn the other cheek.” And like the instruction to give the cheek – this suggestion of ‘I don’t know anything about that,’ feels like a guaranteed way to allow those who have false ideas to win. And the anxiety it creates, I believe, is the same anxiety. To a degree it is the anxiety of ‘Christian atheism.’

We have an option: either we believe that God is alive and working for our salvation or we believe that God, though alive, is removed from our lives and that we must do all in our power to advance His cause (for it seems He will do little of that Himself).

I am overstating the option on purpose. The second option is overstated to the point of the Grand Inquisitor in The Brothers Karamazov. An anxiety besets us in which we feel that the success or failure of the truth of the faith is dependent upon our actions. We can cite very active saints such as St. Athanasius who tirelessly sought to defend the Orthodox faith and to counter the arguments of the heretic Arius. Or we can even think of St. Nicholas of Myra (today known as ‘Santa Claus’) who at the Council of Nicaea even smote Arius on the cheek for his impious statements (St. Nicholas was disciplined for this but restored at the miraculous intercession of the Mother of God.

I should therefore state that I believe some are called to be like St. Athanasius and some are perhaps even to be like St. Nicholas. But Athanasius is known for his lonely persecutions and exiles – which things we should seek to imitate if we plan to take up his great defenses as well. And St. Nicholas was known primarily for his wonder-working miracles and his extreme charity towards children and even towards convicted felons. Such extreme charity should also mark our lives if we feel called to follow in the apologetic footprints of the kindly saint.

But for many, I fear, it is neither saint that is the model for their vigorous defense of the faith, but rather a certain anxiety, that heresy and ideas opposed to the Orthodox faith will somehow go uncorrected. It is here that we must stop and ask ourselves, “Is the Orthodox faith a set of ideas or a divine reality?” If it is a set of ideas then we’d better get our arguments together and do it soon.

Christ himself said, “…if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight…” But His kingdom is not of this world – it is not among the things that are passing away. It is that which is coming and it will never pass away. Many accompanying aspects of the Kingdom have come and gone and come and gone (I think of the outward trappings of empire and the like). Those things which have come and gone are of this world and should be of no concern to us.

The ability to remain silent even in the face of an invitation to argue is not weakness, but confidence in the truth.

My father-in-law, a wonderful man of God, often met my many arguments with, “Well…I don’t know about that.” It was frustrating for me but also a great learning over time.

The faith has never failed because we lacked good arguments and the will to carry them forward. The faith has failed at points because we failed to believe it. If the Orthodox faith flourishes in this world, at this time, it will be because it flourishes in the lives of those who have embraced it.

We live in a 24/7 news cycle – marked mostly by talking-heads and interminable arguments. Does anyone actually believe that another argument, even when brought by a Christian, will matter?

An argument won’t matter. But a Christian will – precisely because they are so hard to find.

Lutheran church music icon Paul Manz died last week at the age of 90. (Paul is pictured here with his wife, Ruth, who died in 2008.)

For 37 years, Paul served as Cantor at the parish for which I work, and as Cantor Emeritus there for the past seven years. His ministry at Mount Olive served as a sort of springboard for his tireless work to the larger church. Paul taught Lutheran Christians their song - what that song is and how to sing it well. It was my own song for many years, a song which has its own place in my heart and memory, a song I still sing often, along with a newer (actually older, but newer to me) song.

But Paul lives on in the work of those who were his students, in his published works and recordings, and in the memories of those who knew him. He was a great gift of God to the church.

In his last days, Paul's son John kept his family's friends updated on his father's condition while he and his siblings waited with him. In a note written a couple of days before Paul died, (which someone published a week ago on Facebook even!) John wrote - quoting Lutheran theologian Martin Marty - “Let him fall asleep now. God will wake him up.”